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Topic: Dolphin died due to plastic (Read 235 times)

Press Releasde COAST GUARD - On March 15, 2019, a marine mammal, initially identified to be a Cuvier's Beaked Whale (15.4 feet long and max. 7 feet wide), was found to be stranded along the coastline of Brgy. Cadunan, Mabini, Compostela Valley Province. The incident was reported immediately to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources XI through the combined efforts of Mr. Jaime Conson, former Regional Fisherfolk Director, Mrs. Amy Bama, LGU Technician, MDRRMC Personnel of Mabini, and the fisherfolk community. They attempted to release the whale three (3) times but it would returned to shallow water. The BFAR XI Stranding Team, FPLEG Personnel and PFO ComVal Personel assisted on site as it could not swim on its own, emaciated and weak. Upon initial observation, it was found out that there was a prominent back bone and peanut-shaped head area. Further, blood samples were collected and subjected to analysis and results showed that the animal was dehydrated.

On the 2nd day, the whale struggled and vomited blood and discharges brown liquid from its anus. Around 10:30 am on the 2nd day, the animal died. It was brought to the D'Bone Collector's Museum in Davao City. A team of personnel conducted necropsy examination, consisting of CFO Davao City staff, BFAR-FMRED Staff, Dr. Elaine Vera Belvis, DVM and Mr. Darel Blatchley, Director, D'Bone Collector's Museum. It was observed that all stomach compartments were full of foreign materials such as plastics of varying sizes and shapes, sacks, and among others. The presence of squid beaks was also observed. The stomach mucusa were also hemorrhagic. The presence of parasites in stomach and kidney areas were also observed. The BFAR XI team collected tissue samples for the scientific determination of other possible causes of death through a series of histophatologic tests.

Initial diagnosis of death is the INGESTION OF HUGE AMOUNT OF FOREIGN OBJECTS MOSTLY OF PLASTICS AND CELLOPHANE. This whale might have some couple of years more to live, but with the lack of awareness and concern for nature of some humans, its life ends with a tragic event. We must be responsible enough, not to harm these lovely creatures. They never harm us, and they never done bad things to us. The plastics we use, when being carried to oceans were mistakenly identified as food by some marine animals. When ingested, there is no way of digesting it. Instead, these may blocked air passages, causes starvation and eventually, the animal dies within a couple of days. This is a call to each one of us that we must be responsible enough for every single plastic we are using. Stranding events, where animals reach out for humans, is not only a call for help, it is also an awakening scream of animals, in their silence, that we share one world, one planet and one home. What we are doing now, might be the end of other's life. Unless we change, these creatures might vanished all of its kind, and only in books, in the future, might tell that for once they exist.One movie line said... "we've only got one world, let's share it in peace.." Let us live our lives with these creatures. We were made to guard them, not to destroy them...

Romans 10:9-10"If you declare with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved."